Best Grimdark Fantasy Books of All Time

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  • Опубліковано 24 гру 2024

КОМЕНТАРІ • 368

  • @CapturedInWords
    @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +11

    The first 500 people to use my link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/capturedinwords02241
    I should clarify that non of these recommendations are in any specific order (other than First Law being #1). Also I was meaning to mention Warhammer 40k and completely forgot to record that voice over last night when editing.
    What are some of your favorite grimdark books??

  • @tedskullhammer
    @tedskullhammer 9 місяців тому +278

    ASOIAF is so grim dark, that the story abruptly ends after book 5. The reader is not only left with the darkness of the story, but the existential darkness of having that story's continuation be forever lost in a series of bleak conventions, morally ambiguous interviews, and twisted book signings ;).

    • @DavidHilton80
      @DavidHilton80 8 місяців тому +11

      Basically stopped reading the book after realizing he’s never going to finish the books because of him getting more involved with tv

    • @Themaninblack19
      @Themaninblack19 8 місяців тому

      ​@@DavidHilton80same here

    • @MrPFMneto
      @MrPFMneto 8 місяців тому

      I read all books. But my hopes of a follow up were shattered after GoT season 3.

    • @Mgranadosv
      @Mgranadosv 8 місяців тому +3

      5 books? The series ended on A storm of swords. The terribly paced/written Feast of Crows and even worse Dance of dragons are fan fictions.

    • @shawnnbits
      @shawnnbits 6 місяців тому

      True cosmic horror!

  • @danielsmerda6636
    @danielsmerda6636 10 місяців тому +121

    I aint gonna lie, your edits are a blast. It is so gripping and easy to watch. Also, with your narrative, drive and passion, you are the best booktuber on the platform! Keep it comin'

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +4

      I appreciate that!! Glad you enjoy the videos! 😁

    • @MsAndrej26
      @MsAndrej26 10 місяців тому +4

      I just want to read everything immediately because the art he uses and his descriptions just suck me in.

  • @marklawrence8418
    @marklawrence8418 10 місяців тому +70

    Many thanks for the shout out, much appreciated.

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +17

      No problem, it's well deserved! I'm currently reading The Book That Wouldn't Burn and really enjoying learning about the Athenaeum. Will likely have a video review up for it in March 👍

    • @martinsoukup562
      @martinsoukup562 6 місяців тому +5

      It's really cool how you engage with your fans. I've seen you all over the place from UA-cam to Reddit. And thanks for the Broken Empire. I find most fantasy books boring and predictable so I was pleasantly surprised by your original take on main characters.

  • @shadowdeath5374
    @shadowdeath5374 10 місяців тому +12

    I recommend the Nightlords trilogy. It's a 40k book so heavy sci-fi and maybe a bit confusing for newcomers at some times but aside from that a great grimdark sci-fi fantasy series.

    • @tracejefferson3169
      @tracejefferson3169 9 місяців тому

      Agree!
      Have read book one and will be reading book 2 soon.

    • @GoomEternal
      @GoomEternal 6 місяців тому

      I'd HEAVILY recommend getting more into the lore of 40k (thank you Bricky's videos) before getting into it, as the author uses purple prose to describe things the average 40k fan would be able to understand the meaning of. Other than that, it is PRIME GRIMDARK. I can't gush about it enough.

  • @Red21Viper
    @Red21Viper 9 місяців тому +7

    Good list. Bakker is the Emperor of everything dark in the genre. Most others feel pretty light in comparison.
    But it is much more than that. You have to try it some day

  • @brightyell0wgun
    @brightyell0wgun 9 місяців тому +13

    ASOIAF and The Princeof Nothing are two of my absolute favorite series :) Excellent list! Some of the ones you mentioned are already on my TBR but I can't wait to check out all of the others I hadn't even heard of :)

    • @AdoreYouInAshXI
      @AdoreYouInAshXI Місяць тому

      Listen to First Law. It's better than everything on this list. And I don't say that lighting against ASoIaF.

  • @bim41337
    @bim41337 10 місяців тому +20

    I think Prince of Thorns (and the subsequent books) was the first Grim Dark book for me. I really liked the display of violence and ruthlessness, but also how well fleshed out the character of Jorg is. I've always wanted to get into Book of the Ancestor.
    In Prince of Nothing, there was one of the all-time best scenes in Fantasy I've ever read. The one chapter where Achamian lashes out after his imprisonment and just demolishes his captors is one of the most amazing displays of magic ever. I'd so love to see more of this done in books. I get the impression that it's on vogue for authors to tone the use of magic down to make it more elusive, but I'd love to read more epic use of magic :)

    • @Abikuss
      @Abikuss 10 місяців тому +2

      Prince of Thorn is hella dope

    • @ennokrieger4205
      @ennokrieger4205 9 місяців тому

      Also really liked the scene. Had been waiting for it since day one and it totally delivered. His fight with conphas mage was also lit

  • @Mr.RobotHead
    @Mr.RobotHead 9 місяців тому +8

    Great video! You covered so many great series. I was happy (but unsurprised) to see you started it off with _The Black Company_ and even happier (and _very_ surprised) to see _Coldfire_ in the list. Seriously, _Coldfire_ (and CS Friedman's work in general) should get more love. And finally, you've convinced me to move _Broken Empire_ up my list.

  • @morlockrevolt
    @morlockrevolt 9 місяців тому +5

    Man, your production is top notch. Great quality videos.

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  9 місяців тому +2

      Thanks! Glad you enjoy them, I put a lot of work into it

  • @Karma7711
    @Karma7711 9 місяців тому +2

    I love that you’re videos don’t critique these books/series too much. Really it’s more important to inspire and peak people’s interest and have people make their own minds up. A lot of people are very critical and it can stop people even picking up a book in the first place

    • @ianbrinkley5968
      @ianbrinkley5968 9 місяців тому +1

      agreed, sometimes I’ll see critical reviews on books I loved, and I feel like if I’d watched it before I read I’d have skipped and read another book

    • @alexandermendez4653
      @alexandermendez4653 9 місяців тому

      *pique

  • @mckayanderson1714
    @mckayanderson1714 9 місяців тому +3

    Good list. Just thought I'd recommend Andrej Sapkowski's Witcher books, as no discussion of Grimdark fantasy is complete without them.

  • @MrSITH-qj6zp
    @MrSITH-qj6zp 8 місяців тому +2

    Elric & Black Company were my first intro into Grim Dark, back in the 80's.

  • @thekwjiboo
    @thekwjiboo 10 місяців тому +26

    You know, I've never really gotten into that genre, and I wasn't even sure what it is. So this video was very informative! I've read ASoIAF and didn't even know that was grimdark. I just read the first 2 books of Gentlemen Bastards this last week and absolutely loved them. You're right about the great dialog in GB, but you forgot to mention the absolutely brilliant insults that get thrown around. And I'm about 1/4 into book 2 of the Dresden files. I've really been missing out on this genre.

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +4

      Haha you're right, the insults in GB definitely deserve to be mentioned! Really glad to hear you enjoyed those books!! I'm actually planning on rereading Locke Lamora soon since it's been a while. Hope you enjoy Dresden too!

    • @thekwjiboo
      @thekwjiboo 10 місяців тому

      @CapturedInWords my buddy who has read them all told me if I like them so far that I'll really like them starting on book 4. Supposedly, according to him, the first 3 are his weakest writings. But I'm thoroughly enjoying them.

  • @SlowBurnReader
    @SlowBurnReader 9 місяців тому +2

    Jay you need to do a recommendations video for books with beautiful prose/writing styles! I would love to hear all your recommendations.

  • @nicolai2429
    @nicolai2429 8 місяців тому +1

    Highly recommend the Ravens Mark series by Ed McDonald as well. And Elric is an absolute must!

  • @getmotivated1707
    @getmotivated1707 8 місяців тому +1

    I hope Malazan book of the fallen is on the list, it's criminally under read and everyone I've seen who has read the series absolutely loves it. It does suffer from having a weaker first book, but it is so very worth sticking with. I love it so much, Erikson is a fantastic writer, and his anthropology background really allowed him to create an amazing universe.
    edit: lol, it is, and you said some of the same things about it haha :)

  • @ladyfox6705
    @ladyfox6705 10 місяців тому +8

    I love Berserk (started because of my love for Dark Souls & FromSoftware) and ASoIaF. Just read The Blade Itself as my first Abercrombie & loved it, so looking forward to more of Joe's books.
    I've got Scott Lynch on my shelf (not literally lol, bit of a squish for him! XD) so will get to his books soon.
    I'd be interested in all of these, maybe except the Poppy War, because I think that's a bit more YA, but the rest sound incredible!

    • @jbheath6678
      @jbheath6678 5 місяців тому +1

      I love the First Law series! Joes writing reminds a lot of Game of Thrones in ita hay day, where dialogue and character is king. Ive started the Poppy War series because of a family book club and your guess is correct, very YA. Maybe it gets better but so far its not my favorite

  • @alibensacrifice
    @alibensacrifice 5 місяців тому +1

    22:35 Thank you for giving a shout out to my boy Dogman. Bro was my favorite character.

  • @richardadcock5450
    @richardadcock5450 10 місяців тому +2

    Please do a video on The Cold Fire Trilogy. One of my favorite trilogies of all time. Read it before Grimdark was a thing. So underrated and never talked about. It some MAJOR love.

  • @christophersmith3005
    @christophersmith3005 9 місяців тому +1

    Very well done. I would also include The Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe. The series centers around a character who works and as a _torturer_ as well as an executioner. He is even a member of a torturer's guild.

  • @alexandruteodor3585
    @alexandruteodor3585 9 місяців тому +1

    Yes! I want a full video about The Coldfire trilogy, I am very excited. It seems to be based on a similar idea as the Manifest Delusions trilogy. I've just finished the book #2 from it and I loved it! Book #1, Beyond Redemption, is rated as the top grimdark book by Mark Lawrence based on the grimdark content. So I highly recommend this series.
    I'm glad The First Law is on top, Joe Abercrombie is my favorite author. One of the books I liked a lot was The Heroes. How does it compare with The Black Company? I am very interested of it as well.

  • @mercurydylan899
    @mercurydylan899 9 місяців тому +3

    Great list with some recommendations for me!
    You heard of/read the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series? Pretty old school and pretty bleak and ahead of its time. Lord Foul’s Bane is a beast of a first book and Donaldson kills it. Talk about an anti-hero…

  • @lukasrogall3802
    @lukasrogall3802 10 місяців тому +6

    Thanks for the great book recommendations!!

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому

      You're welcome! And thank you for watching :)

  • @IndiaTides
    @IndiaTides 10 місяців тому +5

    Hey, Philip Chase started the series on Top Ten fantasy based on the emotions you get out of that series. Don't have video idea then try that one.

  • @JackyZee
    @JackyZee 9 місяців тому

    YES PLEASE do a video on the Coldfire Trilogy!!! One of my favorite series growing up and by one of my favorite authors but nobody ever talks about it or her. The children NEED to know.

  • @coolbrotherf127
    @coolbrotherf127 10 місяців тому +6

    It's not entirely grim dark, but the GreenBone Saga is another series that fans of these kinds of books will enjoy.

  • @hawk66100
    @hawk66100 10 місяців тому +8

    Great list! I’m really hoping we get book 4 of the Gentleman Bastards series: The Thorn of Emberlain sometime soon…

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +2

      I hope so too!

    • @hawk66100
      @hawk66100 10 місяців тому

      @@CapturedInWords If I heard correctly it’s supposed to be a 7 book series but idk if it’ll ever be finished. I’ve read that the author is struggling with mental health issues.

  • @baneofmordor880
    @baneofmordor880 10 місяців тому +17

    Thanks for this video - the Black Company is classic. Locke Lamora and the Broken Empire also are great stories. You are spot on that the 428th Emperor of Melnibone is the original "grimdark" antihero - Moorcock's work is so great that might transcend the genre he created?

    • @greenknightable
      @greenknightable 7 місяців тому

      Nah It's Connan. The author offed himself to prove it.

  • @AgnosticTruth
    @AgnosticTruth 10 місяців тому +22

    Originally called Sword & Sorcery. Like the great anti-heroes like Conan, Elric, Kane and Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser. Low magic, bleak world and more of a personal story. Not necessarily on an epic world changing scope. Read the founders to understand where the modern authors got their inspiration from.

    • @masoodvoon8999
      @masoodvoon8999 10 місяців тому +5

      Think this is the first Fafhrd comment I've seen since youtube was invented. Definitely find inspiration in those missing from Earthsea, Conan, Elric, etc. I also thought Dying Earth by Jack Vance and some of those stories pretty unique.

    • @stephennootens916
      @stephennootens916 10 місяців тому +2

      Wait are you saying grim dark is a spin off of sword and sorcery? I have only read Conan which I love and hope to read more. So I wonder if I should really take a hard look into grim dark to see if I can fine more fantasy I will like.

    • @AgnosticTruth
      @AgnosticTruth 10 місяців тому

      Absolutely. Try Grimdark out.

    • @stephennootens916
      @stephennootens916 10 місяців тому +1

      @@AgnosticTruth than I shall make myself a small list and with the help of my trusty library hopefully I find something that hooks me.

    • @AgnosticTruth
      @AgnosticTruth 10 місяців тому +1

      @@stephennootens916
      Modern Grimdark you could consider: Abercrombie’s First Law trilogy, Mark Lawrence Prince of Thorns, R. Scott Bakker’s books and definitely the modern fathers of Grimdark, George RR Martin’s A song of ice and fire series and Glenn Cook’s The Black Company books.

  • @ReyExtremeCinema
    @ReyExtremeCinema 10 місяців тому +1

    I read The Faithful and the Fallen one after the other and I dont do that normally, when I was dont with it I jumped right into Of Blood and Bone. Sooooo good

  • @MrAelin
    @MrAelin 9 місяців тому

    So glad someone at least mentioned the prince of nothing. I am from Spain and we had this huge event where a famous publisher company dropped iconic fantasy sagas and this one was one of them. I really enjoyed the trilogy as it contains deep philosophical theories (I think the author had something to do with philosophy) and the characters were really well built. I don't know why it is not more famous.

  • @Globulebob
    @Globulebob 10 місяців тому +4

    I just finished the Mirror’s Truth, the second volume of the Manifest Delusions by Michael R. Fletcher and it was absolutely insane. It seems though that so few people know about this and I’m so glad I randomly stumble upon this hidden gem. I would highly recommend this series to any fan of the genre, this is imo grimdark at its finest!

    • @llindberg194
      @llindberg194 10 місяців тому

      It's a really neat book, glad you liked it.

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому

      I've never heard of this series! Thanks for the recommendation, I'll need to check it out!

  • @cande9023
    @cande9023 6 місяців тому

    Thank you for this video. ASOIAF is my favorite book series, but I never delved deeper into this subgenre for whatever reason. Will definitely be reading the Joel Abercrombie series now. The characters sound awesome.

    • @jbheath6678
      @jbheath6678 5 місяців тому

      Definitely give it a shot! Joe Abercrombie's writing is a lot like Game of Thrones in its hay day, where writing and characters are king.

  • @harleyemmerson979
    @harleyemmerson979 8 місяців тому +1

    I highly recommend vigor mortis by thundamoo , it’s closer to a litrpg but still has that grim dark feel, especially in the second and third book, as well as some of the best body horror I’ve read

  • @Hazzer1011
    @Hazzer1011 10 місяців тому +4

    Love these recommendations videos of yours! The artwork, the editing, the way you sell these books to me is just S tier!
    Funnily enough I've read most of these books on here already, and I agree with all but one! Prince of Thorns is one of the worst books I've ever read 😂 in contrast to that The First Law is my all time favourite fantasy series, with ASOIAF and Faithful and the Fallen not far behind! Tbh, you can't go wrong with most of these picks!

  • @AJ82778
    @AJ82778 9 місяців тому +3

    Love all of the Abercrombie books. The Heroes is my personal favorite, with Curden Craw winning me over almost immediately.

  • @chloewild2970
    @chloewild2970 9 місяців тому +3

    R Scott Bakker- 2nd apocalypse.
    The G.O.A.T
    Anyone who skips this series because of people moaning about how dark it is; when they are themselves looking for a dark series to read, you don’t know what your missing.
    Watching a manipulator manipulate an entire cast of characters while also manipulating the reader 🤯
    Masterpiece

    • @Swamplord669
      @Swamplord669 7 місяців тому

      The first 200 pages of the unholy consult were WILD

  • @LandonOakley-d9c
    @LandonOakley-d9c 7 місяців тому

    I just ordered Darkness That Comes Before, I've heard mixed reviews on it because of subject matter, but i like grimdark so I'm looking forward to it. Prince of Thorns was awesome and is prbly my favorite grimdark novel.

  • @garbagegrove2533
    @garbagegrove2533 4 місяці тому +2

    Sometimes I wish I never read the Second Apocalypse series, feels like everything I try to read after just doesn’t quite compare.

  • @JosephSalvo-gi7bp
    @JosephSalvo-gi7bp 5 місяців тому

    Great video man, read the Broken Empire trilogy after watching this and got into more Mark Lawrence books

  • @EgaoKage
    @EgaoKage Місяць тому

    If you intend to read the compiled four-volume Elric Saga, do keep in mind that the individual stories appear in the order that they were originally published, not in chronological order. Though you can find the lore-accurate chronology easily enough online. The difference between these two orderings is so extreme that you'll likely find yourself carrying around more than one volume at a time, because you'll be jumping back and forth. I wrote the chronological order on the back of my bookmark, which lives in my set of four volumes. While that might sound like a hassle, this series is well worth the effort! It is easily one of the finest bodies of fictional literature that I've ever read, and I've read quite a few. It breaks all the rules of conventional story-telling.

  • @d.pedroii2940
    @d.pedroii2940 9 місяців тому

    Very good reads for me to get into this genre this year

  • @gcartigny
    @gcartigny 10 місяців тому +7

    I know there are so many authors who wrote a book about this, but not mentioning anything Warhammer 40k is a small crime. Might be tricky to pick a couple though.

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +4

      Yeah I was planning on mentioning 40K but just didn't get the time last night when I was finishing up voice over and editing. But soon I'd like to start some of those books (not sure where to start but maybe Horus Heresy) and make some videos on them

    • @gcartigny
      @gcartigny 10 місяців тому

      @@CapturedInWords Good luck. I started reading WH40k like 6 months ago with some small collection of stories like Heroes of the Space marines. Great for getting your feet wet. I'm kinda afraid to go full Heresy of some other series yet.

    • @LimeymanZero
      @LimeymanZero 10 місяців тому +1

      I just got done with the Eisenhorn books and wow, yeah those were great! They would have fit well on this list.

  • @flake-49-shino
    @flake-49-shino 10 місяців тому +2

    Fantastic list, some really great sounding books there that i'd never heard of before, can't wait to get to them.
    I'd add the Empire of the Wolf trilogy (The Justice of Kings) by Richard Swan to the list, really fascinating series that's just concluded earlier this month.

  • @llindberg194
    @llindberg194 10 місяців тому +10

    I really hope you do read The Prince of Nothing series eventually, the books are heavy hitters with complex morality, good prose and a philosophical angle to them that I really appreciate.

  • @Howler452
    @Howler452 9 місяців тому +2

    So I've read a few of these and just want to give my two cents on some of them.
    Black Company can be hard to get into because of the writing style. It's told more like a journal entry and doesn't go into the nitty gritty detail for specific fights which can make visualizing things difficult (at least it was for me). But if you keep up with it and the the series as a whole, you'll see some genuinely unique ideas from the setting. The first book can just be a bit difficult due to that writing style.
    Prince of Thorns...isn't for everyone. The main character can come off as a try-hard edgelord at times, but it definitely hammers home the grim-dark nature of the world. I believe it was the author's first book so it has some growing pains in that regard. But like Black Company, it has some interesting ideas once you start to piece everything together. I haven't read the third book yet, so can't comment on how the series ends.
    Berserk is my favourite manga of all time but it's also not for everyone given the intense subject matter and the fact it doesn't hold back from showing awful things happen to the characters. There are times where I think it borders into tasteless (and even Muira before his passing admitted he took some things too far in his younger days), but beneath it all is some of the greatest and most heartbreaking character development and story arcs you'll find in fiction.
    The First Law series. No notes, highly recommend. If you want morally gray characters, you'll find some of the best in this series. If I can make my own characters as interesting as Ninefingers, Jezal, Glokta, and Ferro, then I'll be content as a writer for the rest of my life.

  • @emrek99205
    @emrek99205 Місяць тому

    12:04 The background of Acts of Caine sound a lot like Westworld but with a television broadcast instead of being an amusement park.

  • @superred5
    @superred5 9 місяців тому

    The Broken Empire trilogy is amazing. Glad to see someone talking about it and bringing it to the forefront!

  • @wederator2152
    @wederator2152 7 місяців тому

    My favorite genre by my favorite booktube channel. You're great, man.

  • @Amanda-kw2uq
    @Amanda-kw2uq 8 місяців тому

    Excellent video - added a bunch to my tbr.
    For anyone reading Malazan, don’t skip out on Ian Esselmont’s books, they add a lot to the series - especially the Paths to Ascendancy books.

    • @JasonTodd339
      @JasonTodd339 2 місяці тому

      Esslemonts style is different than eriksen and rakes time to acquire the taste of when you've been reading malazan philosophy for 10 books

  • @dustincanete7666
    @dustincanete7666 6 місяців тому

    Great video. I’ll be putting some of those on my list

  • @EpicTalez
    @EpicTalez 9 місяців тому +1

    Great video as usual. There are books here that I have to read. I am most excited about Elric, Aspect Emperor (PON), and Malazan.

    • @alexandermendez4653
      @alexandermendez4653 9 місяців тому +1

      Malazan is tough. I made it through book 7 and had to stop. Reading it is like work.

    • @TheCrazyCanuck420
      @TheCrazyCanuck420 9 місяців тому

      ​@alexandermendez4653 lol that's where I am. I read up to 100 pages of the 7th book, put it down for a year and had to start back over again since I lost track of too mang characters. This time around it's audible at 1.1x speed and I just got back to where I left off last time. The plot makes a lot more sense this time around 😂

    • @damnboy2.047
      @damnboy2.047 9 місяців тому

      @@alexandermendez4653book five, I love it and the sense of finishing one is amazing but it’s tough

    • @nikolaichenqov6203
      @nikolaichenqov6203 8 місяців тому

      ​@alexandermendez4653 I read 1-5 in less than 6 months then it took me like 4 months to get through 6 and 7 😂

    • @damnboy2.047
      @damnboy2.047 8 місяців тому

      @@nikolaichenqov6203 how did you get back in, stopped reading for a few months at 4 and honestly forgot just about everything

  • @RichardNellAuthor
    @RichardNellAuthor 5 місяців тому

    Just got directed to the channel, sir! Great book picks, and I hope you enjoy Kings of Paradise when you get to it.

  • @natew1494
    @natew1494 8 місяців тому +1

    The most grimmest series I've read/reading is called "Shadow Slave". It's actually a web novel. It's as bleak as you can get. The MC "Sunless" goes through the same psychological damage Guts does in "Beserk", but the cycle doesn't stop. EVERYONE suffers. The entire thing is about survival. Whole continents die...

  • @jde_tattoo
    @jde_tattoo 10 місяців тому +2

    Awesome work on this video!

  • @Grimscribe732
    @Grimscribe732 6 місяців тому +1

    You cannot make a Grim Dark list without the Manifest Delusions Trilogy by Michael R. Fletcher. You arguably don't even know how grim and dark fantasy books can get without having read Beyond Redemption, The Mirror's Truth, and A War to End All. There is also a standalone in the same world called Swarm and Steel, which is great as well.

  • @TalesfromtheS
    @TalesfromtheS 10 місяців тому +7

    Wardstone chronicles series is underrated

    • @orashionseis
      @orashionseis 10 місяців тому

      What is it about ? Is it as good as R Scott Bakker the prince of nothing trilogy?

  • @ericjoseph2215
    @ericjoseph2215 9 місяців тому +1

    I think this is a solid list with series that all grim dark fans should read at least once. Since Berserk made the list, I would also add a comic called Monstress. It heavily inspired by Asian culture and some berserk, on this list it would be similar to the poppy war trilogy.

  • @GreekLibra1984
    @GreekLibra1984 6 місяців тому

    Lots of really great choices in this video. I'm definitely going to check out a lot of these series. Thanks. ⚔️

  • @greenknightable
    @greenknightable 7 місяців тому +2

    Elric? Try The Night Lands by William Hope Hodgson. It's H. P. Lovecraft approved and predates Jack Vance. Grimdark arguably starts with Beowulf or Gilgamesh.

  • @fightronin3753
    @fightronin3753 9 місяців тому

    Great video!!! Keep up the great work!!!

  • @blaiseancona4057
    @blaiseancona4057 9 місяців тому

    Nice Video! Not sure I would categorize Faithful & The Fallen as Grimdark although it does have grim moments. One Grimdark Masterpiece which no one talks about is Ricardo Pinto's Stone Dance of The Chameleon series. There is nothing else like it and it keeps getting darker with each book. Highly recommended.

  • @richardadcock5450
    @richardadcock5450 8 місяців тому

    I would love to see a video on the Cold Fire trilogy. Not talked about enough on Booktube. Been one of my favorites for over 20 years.

  • @gentleslice6489
    @gentleslice6489 10 місяців тому +15

    I Love how thats his "favorite" genre of all the time. But 90% of the books he recommends he just started recently ?.. or hasn't even started yet :D

  • @vincaalkaloids6732
    @vincaalkaloids6732 10 місяців тому +11

    Do make a video on best medieval fantasy books

  • @elif-tp4yv
    @elif-tp4yv 9 місяців тому +1

    I just finished the second book of the first law series and I loved it! I need more grimdark 😈

  • @sgriffin9960
    @sgriffin9960 10 місяців тому

    Fabulous recommendations! Thank you for this video!

  • @LucasVogel
    @LucasVogel 10 місяців тому +1

    I've always loved the souls-like series and came to the conclusion recently that grimdark, dark fantasy, medieval horror, etc, might be my favorite genre in media overall. I decided to start reading, not manga or theories or youtube videos, but like actual books. I just started Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman, have anyone read it? Thoughts on it? I'm like 100 pages in and enjoying it so far.

  • @Swamplord669
    @Swamplord669 9 місяців тому +1

    The prince of nothing series was one of the hardest reads of all time. Shit was rough and complex and brutal and upsetting. Very nihilistic and amoral...but so worth it my god.

  • @ianbrinkley5968
    @ianbrinkley5968 9 місяців тому

    I’ve been watching you for years and idk why I never noticed ur subscriber count but I always assumed you had at least a million subs. Keep up the good work

  • @conorsowersby1274
    @conorsowersby1274 9 місяців тому +2

    R Scott Bakkers Prince of Nothing is going to blow you away. Give it a go!

  • @HeavyTopspin
    @HeavyTopspin 10 місяців тому +1

    Don't sleep on Abercrombie's YA series "The Shattered Sea". The grimdark is toned down a bit but still definitely there, and his distinctive writing style and character building absolutely shines through.

  • @RC-lw5lw
    @RC-lw5lw 10 місяців тому +4

    First comment! Thanks for the new drop, man! Awesome subject.

  • @MrTommyfrizz
    @MrTommyfrizz 4 місяці тому +1

    More people should read The Book of the new Sun by Gene Wolfe. Its kind of science fantasy and can be difficult to follow ( he just leaves little bread crumbs for you to figure out and fill in the blanks) but its absolutely fantastic!

  • @zelgkopitar8799
    @zelgkopitar8799 9 місяців тому +1

    Glokta in The Blade Itself is easily the best character I've had the pleasure of reading (my list of books I've read is short). The book is great all around but Glokta is the star of the show. I couldnt wait to read more of his story and I was disappointed when his story moved on. Recently finished Lock Lamora book 1 and so far it's been my favorite book overall. I was a little annoyed with going into the past but after a bit I enjoyed it just as much as the present. The story was written so well and there was hardly anything that I saw coming. Just when I thought the story was going to continue on in a certain direction, it took a hard turn in the best way. Can't recommend this book enough. Hesitant to read the next two as I've heard they're a little disappointing compared to book 1 but it doesn't take away from how good Book 1 is.

  • @HollyAndMistletoe
    @HollyAndMistletoe 10 місяців тому

    I recommend Andy Peloquin's Darkblade series. He has other interconnected series as well, Queen of Thieves, Heirs of Destiny, and Silent Champions. But his original series had me hooked from the first chapter.

  • @realmsofreading
    @realmsofreading 10 місяців тому +11

    Highly recommend Empire of the Vampire (and its’ soon to be released sequel, Empire of the Damned) by Jay Kristoff. I haven’t seen really any booktubers besides Mike’s Book Reviews discuss it, but it’s an incredible grimdark book about vampires, with a very similar storytelling structure to Name of the Wind. I’m in the middle of it right now and it’s so hard to put down.

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +1

      I've been meaning to read that for a while, it sounds really awesome! Will definitely try to get to that one this year

    • @bbarnhouse9022
      @bbarnhouse9022 10 місяців тому +1

      Loved the first part of the book. Was a little disappointed in "the big reveal" and the later part of the story. Still want to read the second book.

  • @vicktaru
    @vicktaru 9 місяців тому +1

    This is interesting, because I tried reading First Law and I put it down because I just couldn't care for anything happening. I know it's not a grim dark aversion in general, I love ASoIaF and while I felt there was some boomeranging with Rin's character growth (we can you see if you agree as you continue the series) I also loved Poppy War. Maybe I should give First Law a second shot. I didn't get very far (just checked my Kindle and I'm 22% through book 1 at the chapter An Offer and a Gift), and I didn't hate it. I wouldn't be forcing myself to finish it. I just was at the point where I felt I'd rather spend my time reading other things.

    • @EricKoonitsky-bd3hl
      @EricKoonitsky-bd3hl 3 місяці тому +1

      You should definitely continue. The Blade Itself took a while to grab my attention as well. Even now it comes off as amateurish in spots when I reread it. But Abercrombie has shown steady improvement in his writing since then, has always had a gift for characterization, and (unlike many of my favorite authors) actually publishes books on a regular basis. If you finish and enjoy The Blade Itself, there are about ten more books of equal or superior quality waiting for you.

    • @vicktaru
      @vicktaru 3 місяці тому

      @@EricKoonitsky-bd3hl I actually did finish it and I'm on book 2 now. It's significantly better than the first was IMO.

  • @excellent.side.characters
    @excellent.side.characters 10 місяців тому +1

    I've just read the first book in the Red Queen's War series and quite liked it. Prince Jalen is a wastrel, playboy and self-declared coward who is forced to join the Northman Snorri on a trip to the North. The world is dark and violent, but the main characters do have a sense of humour.

  • @Venthrac
    @Venthrac 8 місяців тому +1

    The Black Company is essential and well worth the read. The first three books were the best for me.

  • @Abikuss
    @Abikuss 10 місяців тому +2

    Black company Is one of my favorite series!!!

  • @Marcus-id5ur
    @Marcus-id5ur 10 місяців тому +1

    Richard K Morgan doesnt get enough love in these lists. SF grimdark or fantasy grimdark, take your pick.

  • @tapiwanashendhlovu8468
    @tapiwanashendhlovu8468 10 місяців тому +10

    Prince of nothing still haunts my dreams to this day

  • @PSPoling
    @PSPoling 9 місяців тому +1

    Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman is a great read if you want to read something very similar to Berserk but don’t want to get into manga. It’s my go to recommendation for people wanting to get into grimdark without telling them to read from the Warhammer Black Library line lol

  • @rorangarrowson5
    @rorangarrowson5 10 місяців тому

    I read some of these and they are amazing. Thanks for all the recommendations. A great indie grimdark book is Obsidian Awakening by Sienna Frost.

  • @saraseveryn8650
    @saraseveryn8650 8 місяців тому +1

    What grimdark/ dark fantasy books would you suggest to a beginner reader of fantasy?

    • @greenknightable
      @greenknightable 7 місяців тому +1

      The Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander

  • @palex313
    @palex313 9 місяців тому +1

    Shoutout to Hardbread which happens to be my fave character name ever.

  • @stubby7934
    @stubby7934 2 місяці тому

    Mal-a-zam.
    It is complex...but in a good way. You can pick up on all sorts of things you missed on the first read through on the second or third...but still not for the novice reader.

  • @greenknightable
    @greenknightable 7 місяців тому

    Son of the Black Sword first book of The Forgotten Warrior cycle by Larry Correia
    Mask of the Sorcerer by Darrell Schweitzer
    The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abraham
    The Mark of Ran by Paul Kearney
    Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by K.J. Parker
    Oath of Empire series by Thomas Harlan
    Kaleidoscope Century by John Barnes
    A Canticle for Leibowitz
    Novel by Walter M. Miller Jr.
    The last two are scifi.

  • @Maximus0623
    @Maximus0623 10 місяців тому

    I tried Coldfire Trilogy and DNFed the first book after about 100 pages. But, I was 13/14 having only just gotten into fantasy, fresh off finishing Lord of the Rings and Shannara. Now that I’m an adult, maybe I should give it another shot.

  • @Mel-sn5dl
    @Mel-sn5dl 9 місяців тому

    I'd love recommendations for modern/respectful entries in genres with problematic origins, ie. H.P Lovecraft and Weird Fiction/Cosmic Horror or Robert E. Howard and Sword & Sworcery.

  • @WraithCalling
    @WraithCalling 9 місяців тому +2

    Glen Cook is one of my favorite authors.. even his Sci-Fi stuff is interesting.

  • @nikolaichenqov6203
    @nikolaichenqov6203 8 місяців тому

    Glen Cook and Steven Erikson are at the top of my dark fantasy author list. Still havent found a better ending than Soldiers Live by Glen Cook. So perfect

  • @dominiquemichel1213
    @dominiquemichel1213 10 місяців тому

    gunmetal gods is great as an audiobook, the speaker is very special if you get into it after a while.

  • @jmer120
    @jmer120 10 місяців тому +1

    Do you believe the Kings of the Wyld fit in Grimdark? If so, that would be one of my favorites.

  • @saleen12
    @saleen12 3 місяці тому

    When is the new bookshelf tour coming? 😢

  • @bergsteiger09
    @bergsteiger09 9 місяців тому +1

    Unhewn Throne - best series I've read in a long time.

  • @HellBoy-id6ss
    @HellBoy-id6ss 10 місяців тому

    Truly appreciate the Matthew Stover mention.. his books are criminally underrated..

    • @CapturedInWords
      @CapturedInWords  10 місяців тому +2

      Very underrated! I plan on making a full video on the series later in the year

    • @HellBoy-id6ss
      @HellBoy-id6ss 10 місяців тому +1

      @@CapturedInWords I'm really glad to hear that... Phenomenal channel 👍

  • @Daniel-w1g3v
    @Daniel-w1g3v 10 місяців тому +1

    100k congratulations you deserved this a long time ago👍